Solicitor fraud
Posted: April 1st, 2017, 2:16 pm
I've just read (second hand) about a case on the TV program "Fake Britain", where a solicitor failed to pass on the funds to his client on sale of the client's house.
Apparently the buyer didn't end up owning the house despite paying for it. He lost the whole £465k (or some such amount) and got evicted from the house he thought he'd bought.
The point being that the buyer therefore carries the risk of fraud on the part of the seller's solicitor, a risk he has no control over. How can one protect oneself against this? The SRA claimed the solicitor was fake despite being registered with them, and declined to compensate the buyer.
Apparently the buyer didn't end up owning the house despite paying for it. He lost the whole £465k (or some such amount) and got evicted from the house he thought he'd bought.
The point being that the buyer therefore carries the risk of fraud on the part of the seller's solicitor, a risk he has no control over. How can one protect oneself against this? The SRA claimed the solicitor was fake despite being registered with them, and declined to compensate the buyer.